Top Professional Angler To Offer Fishing Tips At Parks And Recreation Program

The chance to learn from former professional angler Mark Kile is an opportunity not many fishermen would pass up.

After all, he's fished tournaments all over the country, rubbed elbows with some of the finest pros around and has been featured on numerous national television shows.

The opportunity to pick up a few tips from the former Citgo Bassmaster Classic qualifier and Rookie of the Year sensation presents itself in two upcoming town parks and recreation offerings.

Kile will host "Seasonal Patterns of Bass" from 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 27 and "Fishing Urban Lakes, Small Ponds and High Lakes" from 9 to 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 16.

The registration fee is $15 for each and sign-up may be completed at the P&R offices located at Green Valley Park.

In the patterns of bass seminar, Kile will teach hints on how to locate bass at different times of the year, depths to fish, proper lures and understanding seasonal habits.

"The most important thing is to find out where (the fish) are during certain times of the year," Kile said. "If you can narrow (the area to fish) down to 3 percent of the lake, you have a much better chance (of catching fish)."

The former pro says the advice he will give should prove useful at Roosevelt or most any other lake where bass can be found.

In the urban lakes, ponds and high lakes presentation, Kile will cover techniques and strategies useful at hotspots like Green Valley Park, Woods Canyon Lake and streams.

Among the fish Kile will give tips on catching are crappie, bass, trout and blue gill.

Kile is especially fond of catching crappie, which many foodies consider one of the better-tasting species.

"Crappie tacos are my favorite food," he said.

"My wife makes them, they are the best."

The 41-year-old Kile fished professionally for about 15 years twice qualifying for what he calls "The Super Bowl of Fishing" -- the Bassmaster Classic.

During his career, he pocketed some good-sized payoffs including a $41,000 for a second-place finish at a Citgo Bassmaster pro tour event.

In 2003, Kile was prominently featured during ESPN's coverage of a tournament being contested at Clear Lake, Calif.

In the final moments of the tournament, Kile is shown hooking, and then losing a lunker that, if caught, would have lifted him to the championship. The runner-up showing earned the Rim angler $40,000 in prize money. A win would have been worth $100,000.

In 2004, he surprised almost everyone by saying that he was stepping away from the East coast tournament trail where bass fishing is a way of life.

In resigning, he accepted a position as regional sales manager for Skeeter Boats, which, he said, would mean a better lifestyle and more time with his wife and family.

Today, Kile's interests remain in fishing but he also enjoys hunting and has taking up guiding and outfitting.

He credits his interest in fishing to his father.

"My dad started taking me when I was 3 or 4 years old, and I've just kind of had a knack for it," he said. "And I love the outdoors."